Meet Nick!

May 11, 2018

Meet Nick Rock. He is a Structural Engineer in Training (EIT) and has been with Clark for almost two years. He has worked with a wide range of owners, architects, contractors, construction managers, developers, and public agencies to assist in the design and construction of numerous structural projects all over the country. He is also a member of Clark’s Emergency Response Team, assisting in the evaluation and reconstruction of buildings after disaster strikes.

What does a typical day at Clark Engineering look like?

Perhaps the best way to describe a typical day during the busy months would be organized chaos. Often I am working on several jobs at once, and coordination between them is a welcome challenge. Between designing and detailing the buildings, answering contractor’s questions (RFI’s), reviewing supplier’s shop drawings, and performing site observations, no two days, much like no two buildings, are ever alike.

What aspect of your job do you enjoy the most?

The aspect I enjoy the most about this position is the sense of pride and ownership I feel when passing by a building I designed. Aided by our technicians, our engineers play a large role in why those children get the opportunity to study in those new classrooms, why those college students get the chance to live in that new apartment complex, why those senior citizens get the chance to relax in their new retirement home. As my experience builds, so does my influence on the community, and I love being able to travel anywhere in the cities and see the knowledge that I am gaining at Clark be shared with the people of this community.

What piece of advice would you give to a new employee?

Never be afraid to ask questions. Your employer and new fellow employees understand that you are new to your field of choice, and they expect an endless stream of questions, as they were once in your shoes. Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone. Take on that tough job that you have no background or experience with. Embrace any and every opportunity to expand your knowledge base, and before you know it, you no longer have those questions every five minutes. You no longer need somebody looking over your shoulder and reviewing every calculation. You no longer feel confused when navigating a set of plans. Once you hit that point, you are able to take your position to a whole new level.

What do you do for fun?

In my spare time, I enjoy fishing, home-brewing, and tinkering or creating blueprints for various things I plan to build in the future; most notably a chicken coop, a pneumatic-powered can crusher, and a metal melting furnace.